As the Minnesota Vikings wait to add a veteran quarterback, until after the NFL Draft by all recent indications, the list of options has naturally dwindled. Some remaining free agent options stand out above the others, but a trade for someone lingers as a possibility.

Last month, just before free agency started on the “40s and Free Agents” podcast, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah offered an outside-the-box idea for the Vikings to trade for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to come in and be a veteran backup for J.J. McCarthy next season.
Jeremiah clarified that he didn’t mean Cousins would come in and unseat McCarthy, but be “veteran insurance” that knows Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

The most obvious fly in the Cousins-back-to-the-Vikings ointment is the desire the Falcons have to trade him, or cut him. The most recent reports say he prefers to be released, which is a dead-money dead-end for Atlanta, and if he waives his no-trade clause, it probably won’t be until after the NFL Draft.
The Falcons, of course, would like an acquiring team to also take on a substantial chunk of the money Cousins is owed if they’re going to trade him.

All of these tentacles could shift in the coming weeks, and if Cousins is going to go elsewhere, he would surely like to start.

But is Minnesota an exception to that last thing?
Minnesota Vikings Insider keeps the door open for a reunion with Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
In a recent edition of the Access Vikings newsletter featuring insight from last week’s league meetings, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune named Cousins as a QB2 option for the Vikings.

“They could also pursue a trade for a veteran backup: possibly even Kirk Cousins, who lost his starting job with the Falcons and is believed to want out of Atlanta after just one season there.”

“Falcons coach Raheem Morris said this week he doesn’t expect Cousins to participate in the team’s offseason program, and while the quarterback would have to waive his no-trade clause, a source familiar with his thinking said earlier this month he might be interested in a return to the Vikings.”
Goessling acknowledged the general long-shot nature of a trade to bring Cousins back to Minnesota, but landed on it not being out of the question.

“It could be a long shot: The Vikings would have to work out a trade, and Cousins would have to accept a backup role just a year after he left Minnesota because of the Vikings’ plans to draft a first-round QB (only to be surprised by the Falcons’ selection of Michael Penix Jr.). But given Cousins’ familiarity with the offense and his continuing friendship with O’Connell, a return to the Vikings isn’t out of the question.”

Goessling is coming at this Cousins angle with some information, and it’s a step beyond what he said on KFXN-Radio last month about the Vikings trading for a backup quarterback if “there’s somebody out there they like.”

Minnesota fans’ animosity toward Cousins likely far exceeds any animosity the organization has toward him (if any), or any animosity he might have toward the Vikings (if any) after his departure.

There are obstacles that stand to prevent it until further notice, but Cousins coming back to Minnesota in a role he hasn’t had since early in his career is in the “never say never” category right now.